Thetis Island Local Trust Committee public hearing, October 22, 2024

[0:00:04] Voice 5: Well, good morning, Aitskweil everyone, members of the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee.

[0:00:10] Voice 5: I want to begin this meeting by acknowledging we're grateful, as always, to be able to live,

[0:00:16] Voice 5: work, and gather today in locations across the traditional territories of many Coast Salish

[0:00:22] Voice 5: peoples. In particular, the Local Trust Committee of Thetis Island is grateful to be able to work

[0:00:29] Voice 5: in the traditional, unceded, and ancestral territories of the Liacs and First Nation

[0:00:34] Voice 5: and Penelican tribes. And so I'll begin with introductions. This is a special business

[0:00:41] Voice 5: meeting of the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee. I'm joined by your Thetis Island

[0:00:45] Voice 5: local trustees, Trustee Hunter, Ken Hunter. Hello. Hello.

[0:00:51] Voice 5: Thanks for being with us today.

[0:00:52] Voice 5: And Trustee Peter Luckham.

[0:00:55] Trustee Luckham: Good morning. Grateful to be here in Coastal Territory

[0:00:59] Trustee Luckham: and specifically doing work today for the LIACs and First Nation.

[0:01:04] Trustee Luckham: And I'm grateful for this opportunity.

[0:01:07] Trustee Luckham: And certainly there's lessons for us to have learned through this process

[0:01:10] Trustee Luckham: about the Islanders Trust needing more ability to make things easier

[0:01:20] Trustee Luckham: with respect to the work that we want to do with nations.

[0:01:25] Voice 5: Exactly. Thank you.

[0:01:27] Voice 5: And we're supported by staff.

[0:01:30] Voice 5: um i'll introduce our regional planning manager renee jamarat hello thanks for being here uh

[0:01:39] Voice 5: island planner margot tomaitis uh director of trust area services claire frader in the background

[0:01:48] Voice 5: and uh our minute taker and media facilitator lisa millard thank you all for being here

[0:01:55] Voice 5: so with that um and recognizing that um we just have one piece of business for today's meeting

[0:02:06] Voice 5: i'll call the meeting to order and ask for approval of the agenda is there anything to add

[0:02:12] Voice 5: or amend to the agenda today if not i'll take it by general consent that the agenda be adopted

[0:02:20] Voice 5: okay so we've got one business item it is the rezoning application for connected coast

[0:02:26] Voice 5: fiber optic cable installation and there is a staff report this item has been expedited and

[0:02:36] Voice 5: i just want to recognize and thank staff for their hard work in getting us to this place

[0:02:41] Voice 5: and in making this meeting happen so that we could um do the work before us or and get out

[0:02:48] Voice 5: of the way of of work that is needed so that uh connected coast can uh can bring um fiber optic

[0:02:56] Voice 5: the cable to valdez island so renee or sorry margo would you like to introduce your report

[0:03:01] Voice 5: thank you so much hi

[0:03:03] Planner Thomaidis: thanks thanks charlie it um i'm going to share my screen with the

[0:03:06] Planner Thomaidis: recommendations just to make this a little more simple let's see can everyone see that

[0:03:16] Trustee Luckham: yep

[0:03:16] Planner Thomaidis: great yeah so i'm assuming all of you read the report um and are kind of apprised of everything

[0:03:23] Planner Thomaidis: But to summarize, the purpose of this whole report is to advance the Connected Coast rezoning application, which seeks a bylaw amendment in order to add a new use to the marine conservation or W1 zone surrounding Valdez Island to permit the installation and use of fiber optic cable telecommunication public service utility as part of the Connected Coast project led by the Strathcona.

[0:03:53] Planner Thomaidis: a regional district connected coast corporation also the applicant so the report provides the

[0:03:59] Planner Thomaidis: LTC with a copy of the island's trust policy statement directives

[0:04:04] Planner Thomaidis: directives only checklist a copy of the draft bylaw number 115 as well and then seeks the

[0:04:12] Planner Thomaidis: direction on the following recommendations on how to proceed so in summary the LTC previously

[0:04:19] Planner Thomaidis: provided direction to expedite consideration of this application in support of the applicant's

[0:04:26] Planner Thomaidis: deadline to begin installation of the marine cable beginning in November 2024, which is about a week

[0:04:32] Planner Thomaidis: from now. The LTC also directed not to hold a public hearing and to prepare the draft bylaw

[0:04:40] Planner Thomaidis: for readings. And then other factors that staff understand are important considerations for this

[0:04:46] Planner Thomaidis: application are that the applicant's project will provide future high-speed internet access

[0:04:52] Planner Thomaidis: specifically to the LACs and First Nation on Valdez Island. Also, the LTC does not wish to

[0:04:59] Planner Thomaidis: refer bylaw number 115 to First Nations, local governments, or other agencies for review or

[0:05:06] Planner Thomaidis: comment. And at your last meeting, you cited that the applicant has already carried out consultation

[0:05:12] Planner Thomaidis: for the Connected Coast project through the provincial or aquatic crown land

[0:05:16] Planner Thomaidis: authorization application and the federal Transport Canada application

[0:05:22] Planner Thomaidis: process. Therefore staff recommend first, second and third readings of bylaw

[0:05:30] Planner Thomaidis: number 115 and then also that the bylaw be forwarded to the Secretary of the

[0:05:35] Planner Thomaidis: Islands Trust for approval by the Executive Committee at their October

[0:05:38] Planner Thomaidis: October 30th meeting. Thanks so much. And so I'm here.

[0:05:43] Planner Thomaidis: If you have any questions, um, RPM, Renee Jamaret is also here and yeah,

[0:05:48] Planner Thomaidis: Claire, Claire Freider from Trust Area Services, um, is present.

[0:05:52] Planner Thomaidis: And the applicant, um, Christina from Connected Coast and Renee from Connected

[0:05:56] Planner Thomaidis: Coast are, are from City, City West are present to answer any questions as well.

[0:06:02] Planner Thomaidis: Thanks.

[0:06:03] Voice 5: That's wonderful. Thank you. Um, I don't have any questions,

[0:06:07] Voice 5: But if we can articulate the waiving of public hearing and just the reasons for that.

[0:06:16] Voice 5: We've already made a decision that we don't need to hold public hearing.

[0:06:20] Voice 5: But have we had any comments from the public or any questions about this project or application?

[0:06:27] Voice 5: I just want to make sure that we have given proper notice and that everything is in order there.

[0:06:36] Planner Thomaidis: Yes, thanks, Charlie.

[0:06:37] Planner Thomaidis: So no comments from the public have been received at this time.

[0:06:44] Planner Thomaidis: Staff have been in contact with LAACs and First Nation and sent them a copy of the report wording before publishing,

[0:06:53] Planner Thomaidis: but they cited that they didn't have sufficient time to review, so we didn't hear back from them on the report.

[0:07:01] Planner Thomaidis: But other than that, yeah, no other members, public comments have been received at this time. And notice was sent out, I believe, two notices were sent out in the paper on October 10th and October 17th prior to this meeting.

[0:07:20] Planner Thomaidis: Thank

[0:07:21] Voice 5: you for that. And I imagine we might want to talk a little bit about the section on First Nations engagement. You've articulated it very well in the report. And I thank the applicant for sharing information that you have been working closely with all the First Nations that your project is involved with.

[0:07:45] Voice 5: And so I understand that you have summarized the responses from First Nations and not but not shared specific correspondence in regards to your work.

[0:07:57] Voice 5: work and so I just want to sort of bring that loop back to say that the local trust committee

[0:08:03] Voice 5: can be satisfied that meaningful early and ongoing consultation has occurred but it's been

[0:08:11] Voice 5: by the applicant in this project and so Christina I don't know if you want to speak to that at all

[0:08:20] Voice 5: and sort of about that bit of the process yes

[0:08:23] Voice 1: chair thank you for going over that I can confirm

[0:08:27] Voice 1: firm that we've been consulting with various nations who we have landings with, as well as

[0:08:33] Voice 1: if we're passing through their traditional territory starting in 2021. We've been doing

[0:08:40] Voice 1: ongoing consultation and for this specific landing and the marine link as well, we've done

[0:08:47] Voice 1: full consultation with the province for our lands application. That consultation is now closed

[0:08:56] Voice 1: and we've also done a consultation on navigation and the marine aspects with Transport Canada

[0:09:04] Voice 1: for the links outside of this landing as well and we continue to do ongoing engagement with

[0:09:11] Voice 1: any updates regarding to the project or anything like that. Please let me know if I can elaborate

[0:09:17] Voice 1: further.

[0:09:19] Voice 5: Well thank you that's very good. Trustees do you have questions for the applicant or for

[0:09:24] Voice 5: staff or anything that needs clarifying?

[0:09:27] Trustee Luckham: I have none.

[0:09:32] Voice 5: Excellent. So I did want to just note that

[0:09:37] Voice 5: the timeline for this project was extremely short and expedited in order to meet the

[0:09:47] Voice 5: applicant's deadlines. And this would not normally be the way that the local trust committee would

[0:09:53] Voice 5: would like to proceed. I think in future, if applications such as this, in tandem with their

[0:10:00] Voice 5: early and ongoing engagement with First Nations, could consider the local government in regards to

[0:10:07] Voice 5: the zoning needs and the kind of notice that we need to give and the preparation that normally

[0:10:13] Voice 5: goes into amending bylaws such as this. This is a great opportunity for lessons learned and how to

[0:10:19] Voice 5: of work together um and absolutely respect the work that you have done with nations and that is

[0:10:25] Voice 5: the reason we can proceed today it's um we could not proceed of course if there wasn't um fulsome

[0:10:33] Voice 5: engagement and support for this project which there is i'm very happy to see that so

[0:10:38] Voice 5: um bringing it back around um are we ready to move the recommended um motions to amend

[0:10:46] Voice 5: And bye-bye.

[0:10:47] Voice 5: Thank you.

[0:10:48] Voice 5: Trustee Luckham.

[0:10:50] Trustee Luckham: Yeah, I'm happy to proceed with the recommendations,

[0:10:54] Trustee Luckham: but would just like to make a remark with respect to this process.

[0:11:02] Trustee Luckham: It's mostly a footnote, really.

[0:11:04] Trustee Luckham: I would just like to look towards the future in looking at opportunities

[0:11:09] Trustee Luckham: for this LTC and more broadly even for the Islands Trust Federation

[0:11:15] Trustee Luckham: to look at opportunities for relaxing zoning that might exist historically

[0:11:25] Trustee Luckham: on lands that are adjacent, water access areas adjacent to reserve lands

[0:11:34] Trustee Luckham: for which we have no jurisdiction, and even potentially in the future

[0:11:39] Trustee Luckham: for fee-simple lands that may be owned by nations in the future.

[0:11:44] Trustee Luckham: We should look towards an opportunity to remove roadblocks while continuing to respect the natural environment.

[0:11:55] Trustee Luckham: So I just wanted to say that out loud because certainly this has been a really good lesson learned here for myself anyway.

[0:12:05] Trustee Luckham: But if you'd like, I would make the first motion.

[0:12:08] Trustee Luckham: Please do.

[0:12:09] Trustee Luckham: I move that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee has reviewed the Island's Trust Policy Statement Directive's only checklist and determined that Bylaw No. 115, cited as the Valdez Island Rural Land Use Bylaw 1998, Amendment No. 1, 2024, is not contrary to or at variance with the Island's Trust Policy Statement.

[0:12:28] Voice 5: Call for a seconder?

[0:12:31] Trustee Luckham: Second.

[0:12:33] Voice 5: Trustee Hunter seconds.

[0:12:34] Voice 5: Any discussion on the motion?

[0:12:38] Voice 5: And I'll note that the checklist is on page 10, 11, and 12.

[0:12:46] Voice 5: If not, I'll call for the vote.

[0:12:49] Voice 5: All those in favor?

[0:12:51] Voice 3: Aye.

[0:12:53] Voice 3: All right.

[0:12:54] Voice 5: Thank

[0:12:54] Trustee Luckham: you.

[0:12:55] Voice 3: There you go.

[0:12:57] Trustee Luckham: I'll take the next one, Ken.

[0:12:58] Voice 3: Sure.

[0:13:00] Voice 3: I move that the Fetus Island Local Trust Committee Bylaw No.

[0:13:03] Voice 3: 115, cited as Valdez Island Rural Land Use Bylaw 1998,

[0:13:08] Voice 3: 998 amendment number 12024 be read a first time

[0:13:14] Voice 5: excellent second that seconded by trustee luckham

[0:13:18] Voice 5: any further discussion nope all

[0:13:21] Voice 5: those in favor raise your hand or say aye aye

[0:13:24] Trustee Luckham: that is carried

[0:13:25] Voice 5: thank you so

[0:13:28] Trustee Luckham: i will move that the thetis island local trust committee bylaw number 115 cited as

[0:13:33] Trustee Luckham: Valdes Island Rural Land Use By-law Amendment 1998, Amendment Number 1, 2024, be read a second time.

[0:13:42] Voice 3: Second.

[0:13:44] Voice 5: Seconded by Trustee Hunter. Any discussion? All those in favor?

[0:13:49] Voice 3: Aye.

[0:13:50] Voice 3: And

[0:13:50] Voice 5: that is carried. Thank you.

[0:13:53] Voice 3: Okay. I move that the Fiat Island Local Trust Committee By-law Number 115, cited as Valdes

[0:14:00] Voice 3: rural land use bylaw 1998 amendment number one 2024 be read a third time thank

[0:14:08] Voice 5: you seconder

[0:14:12] Trustee Luckham: oh seconding yeah uh

[0:14:14] Voice 5: seconded by trustee luckham any discussion all those in

[0:14:18] Voice 5: favor raise your hand

[0:14:19] Voice 5: just say aye aye three

[0:14:25] Voice 5: and that is carried thank you so much and one more time uh

[0:14:30] Trustee Luckham: number five this

[0:14:34] Voice 1: is

[0:14:34] Trustee Luckham: the fourth motion that's five altogether no the fifth

[0:14:37] Trustee Luckham: we're already at

[0:14:39] Trustee Luckham: so i moved that

[0:14:40] Trustee Luckham: thetis on local trust committee bylaw number 115 cited as valdez island rural land use bylaw number

[0:14:45] Trustee Luckham: 1998 amendment number 1 2024 be forwarded to the secretary of the islands trust for

[0:14:51] Trustee Luckham: the approval by the executive committee second excellent

[0:14:57] Voice 5: seconded by trustee hunter any discussion

[0:14:59] Voice 5: discussion no all

[0:15:01] Voice 5: those in favor trustee hunter your hand is still up but if you are

[0:15:05] Voice 3: all right

[0:15:11] Voice 5: and that is carried and we have concluded the um amendment of this bylaw and

[0:15:19] Voice 5: so we'll it'll be going to executive committee at their october 30th 2024 meeting and if

[0:15:27] Voice 5: If executive committee approves, staff will notify the LTC and following that a resolution without meeting will be initiated for final bylaw adoption and that's so that we can meet the November 1st deadline.

[0:15:41] Trustee Luckham: Excellent. Thank you, Toby.

[0:15:43] Voice 5: Is there anything else, further comments from staff or next steps?

[0:15:49] Voice 3: I would just like to thank staff for their hard work on this.

[0:15:54] Voice 3: second

[0:15:55] Voice 5: i echo that it has been remarkable what you've pulled off in a very short amount of time

[0:16:02] Voice 5: and and we've i agree we've had a lot of lessons learned and uh i just really want to thank

[0:16:08] Voice 5: everybody for pulling together and making this happen so appreciate it okay that concludes our

[0:16:16] Voice 5: our business today um i'll call for adjournment all those in favor all right all

[0:16:23] Voice 5: right well take

[0:16:25] Voice 5: care everyone and

[0:16:27] Trustee Luckham: thank you staff thank

[0:16:29] Voice 5: you so much for being here today bye now thank you for

[0:16:33] Voice 1: having us

DRAFT 
 
Thetis Island DRAFT 1 
Local Trust Committee Special Meeting Minutes 
October 22, 2024 
 
Thetis Island Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of Special Meeting 
 
Date:  
Location:  
October 22, 2024 
Electronic Meeting 
 
Members Present: Tobi Elliott, Chair 
 Peter Luckham, Local Trustee 
 Ken Hunter, Local Trustee 
  
Staff Present: Clare Frater, Director Trust Area Services 
Renée Jamurat, Regional Planning Manager 
 Margot Thomaidis, Planner 2 
 Lisa Millard, Meeting Administrator/Recorder 
  
Others Present: There were approximately two (2) members of the public in attendance. 
  
 
1. CALL TO ORDER 
Chair Elliott called the meeting to order at 9:33 a.m.  She acknowledged that the meeting was 
held on the territory of the Coast Salish First Nations. 
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
By general consent the agenda was approved as presented. 
3. BUSINESS ITEMS 
3.1 Rezoning Application - Connected Coast Fibre Optic Cable Installation - Staff Report 
The Planner summarized the staff report and highlighted the following: 
 Application seeks bylaw amendment to add a new use to Marine Conservation (W1) 
zone to permit the use of fibre-optic telecommunication public utility as part of the 
Connected Coast project; and 
 Installation of fibre-optic cable will provide future high-speed internet access to the 
Lyackson First Nation; 
 
The applicant was in attendance and spoke to consultation process that had been 
undertaken with First Nations, Transport Canada, and the provincial government. 
 
Discussion ensued and the following points were noted: 
 Public Hearing was waived to expedite the application in order to meet applicant’s 
installation deadlines; 
 Notices of first reading of the bylaw were published on October 10, 2024 and 
October 17, 2024 and no comments from the public have been received; 

DRAFT 
 
Thetis Island DRAFT 2 
Local Trust Committee Special Meeting Minutes 
October 22, 2024 
 Bylaw referrals to First Nations, local governments, and other agencies were waived 
as applicant engaged with First Nations and provided a summary of responses; 
therefore, the Local Trust Committee was satisfied extensive consultation was 
undertaken; 
 It is prudent for the applicant to engage with local government, in tandem with First 
Nations, to avoid deadline conflicts; and 
 There is future opportunity for Islands Trust to relax zoning that might historically 
exist on lands and water access areas adjacent to First Nation’s reserve lands in 
which Islands Trust does not have jurisdiction while continuing to respect the 
environment. 
 
TH-2024-025 
It was MOVED and SECONDED 
that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee has reviewed the Islands Trust 
Policy Statement Directives Only Checklist and determined that Bylaw No. 115 
cited as “Valdes Island Rural Land Use Bylaw, 1998, Amendment No. 1, 2024” is 
not contrary to or at variance with the Islands Trust Policy Statement.  
CARRIED 
TH-2024-026 
It was MOVED and SECONDED 
that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee Bylaw No. 115 cited as “Valdes 
Island Rural Land Use Bylaw, 1998, Amendment No. 1, 2024”, be read a first 
time.  
CARRIED 
TH-2024-027 
It was MOVED and SECONDED 
that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee Bylaw No. 115 cited as “Valdes 
Island Rural Land Use Bylaw, 1998, Amendment No. 1, 2024”, be read a second 
time. 
CARRIED 
TH-2024-028 
It was MOVED and SECONDED 
that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee Bylaw No. 115 cited as “Valdes 
Island Rural Land Use Bylaw, 1998, Amendment No. 1, 2024”, be read a third 
time.  
CARRIED 
TH-2024-029 
It was MOVED and SECONDED 
that the Thetis Island Local Trust Committee Bylaw No. 115 cited as “Valdes 
Island Rural Land Use Bylaw, 1998, Amendment No. 1, 2024”, be forwarded to 
the Secretary of the Islands Trust for approval by the Executive Committee. 
CARRIED 

DRAFT 
 
Thetis Island DRAFT 3 
Local Trust Committee Special Meeting Minutes 
October 22, 2024 
4. ADJOURNMENT 
By general consent the meeting was adjourned at 9:50 a.m. 
 
 
_________________________ 
Tobi Elliott, Chair 
 
Certified Correct: 
 
 
_________________________ 
Lisa Millard, Meeting Administrator/Recorder